The number of French students interested in studying Chinese has soared in French high schools in the last ten years. Though it is currently offered mostly by elite schools, the French government hopes to make it more accessible to all schools in years to come.

One school is no longer serving chicken, claiming that children aren’t eating it when served due to fears of avian flu. The mayor is behind this decision – despite the protests of parents and chicken farmers – citing the “principle of precaution.”

Microcredit can make a big difference to people on welfare or those without good credit history. Case in point: this fifty-five-year-old man who succeeded in opening up his own pizzeria thanks to the help he received.

In the tradition of the great Jacques Cousteau, two young Frenchmen have been crisscrossing the world’s oceans documenting their most marvelous encounters in a book. But the book is not just an ode to the beauty of the deep; it is a warning about the impact humans have had on this largely unknown world.

Homelessness is difficult for anyone, but for women the dangers can be more acute and the experience even more alienating than for men.

Marianne is the symbol of the French Republic and has roots in the revolution of 1789. But are French mayors ready to represent the France of today with a Marianne of color?

Youssou N’Dour, one of the world’s most beloved French-speaking musicians, hails not from France, but from Africa.

The summer months have been very dry in many parts of France for the past several years.

In France, one is registered to vote automatically upon reaching voting age.

Many French people claim they don’t like receiving junk mail, but marketers have done studies which indicate the opposite.

The Oradour-sur-Glane massacre took place over a half a century ago, but France still remembers.

The Malgré-nous (Despite Ourselves) are the roughly 130,000 young Alsatians from Lorraine, many of them recruited by force, who served under the Nazis during World War II.

In 1985, ten million meals were served by Restos du Cœur. By 2004, that number had skyrocketed to sixty million.

Tanguy de la Forest is ready to fly off to the Paralympic Games.

The mortality rate for people with AIDS in France is one fifth of what it once was. Not only that, but modern medications are much easier to schedule.

Public transport has not always been easy for those who use wheelchairs, but the SNCF (French National Railway Company) has been making changes that make for a much more pleasant trip.

In the US, many American truckers don’t want Mexican drivers on the road. A similar situation is brewing in France where drivers from other countries will do the same work for half as much pay.

Only four bears remain in Haut-Béarn, and all of them are male. Nothing can be done to save the population unless some females are introduced.

Rail travel between Paris and Marseilles used to be a lengthy ordeal. In 1950, the road trip took over ten hours, as did the train. By 2001, the TGV needed only three hours.

Paris to Marseille for just 19 euros. Passengers are thrilled, but the ticket agent unions are not. These internet-only sale prices are putting their jobs at stake. Onboard, passengers can get a massage, or rent a DVD player, making for a more relaxing trip. Book your seat today!

It’s been suggested by some that global warming is a myth, but a large scientific study suggests otherwise. The first to suffer will be the animals that call the northern icecap home, such as polar bears and seals.

Long-time French residents of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) have been forced to flee the country due to political and racial unrest. Returning to France, they often feel like strangers in a strange land. Many of them, not so young, find that they have to start their lives again from scratch.

Excessive algae blooms are causing what is known as “green tides” off the coast of Brittany, affecting ten percent of its coastline. Agriculture is the culprit, due to its extensive use of fertilizers and production of animal wastes, both of which make their way to the ocean and feed the algae.

Hurricanes are of course some of the most powerful and dangerous storms known to man, but they are also an occasion to enjoy the thrill of nature. As Hurricane Ivan approached Martinique, surfers took to the reefs and people gathered at the water’s edge to witness the approaching fury.